California prison union suspends chapter president amid misspending investigations

Top executives at the California Correctional Peace Officers Association suspended a parole chapter president this week amid multiple investigations into misuse of union money.

The suspension deprives Maribel Hinojosa, the elected president of the Parole Agents Association of California, of union representation and removes her authority as a job steward, according to a written notice sent by CCPOA president Glen Stailey.

Hinojosa, who was elected in December 2019, has accused former leaders of the parole agents chapter of embezzling union money.

The chapter under Hinojosa is contesting $53,000 spent by its former leaders, alleging portions of the money might have been inappropriately used for personal credit card payments, entertainment and meals, according to 2019 tax forms filed under Hinojosa’s name.

The Department of Justice is investigating possible embezzlement at the chapter, according to a special agent’s email sent last June. The email didn’t specify who the department was investigating.

The two former leaders, Jorge Robles and Meshal Kashifalghita, filed a civil lawsuit against Hinojosa after Robles lost the election to her, alleging she defamed them with false accusations during her campaign. A jury trial is scheduled for January.

CCPOA is conducting its own investigation into the parole chapter’s financial operations, according to Stailey’s notice.

A union spokesman declined to comment on Hinojosa’s suspension, citing the ongoing internal investigation.

Seven months ago, the 28,000-member union placed the parole agents chapter — which is CCPOA’s largest chapter with about 1,400 members — into trusteeship, freezing its assets.

Stailey said in a written notice at the time that Hinojosa may have misspent union money on a personal lawsuit.

Hinojosa’s suspension made vice president Josh Eustice the chapter’s new president. The executive council imposed an emergency suspension, using a process that skips the union’s normal procedures.

Stailey’s notice, dated Monday of this week, said Hinojosa had failed to follow CCPOA’s direction related to the chapter’s finances, had attempted to frustrate the trusteeship, had engaged in “apparent collusion” with managers at the Division of Adult Parole Operations at the expense of members and had violated her duties of loyalty and confidentiality.

Hinojosa said Wednesday she didn’t believe the union has the authority to remove her from her elected position leading the chapter. She said the executive council has presented no evidence of its accusations.

“We’re still going to trial in January; all they did was retaliate against me,” she said.

This story was originally published July 15, 2021 at 1:42 PM.